Fury and Flame | 3

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D E L P H I N I U M

I flinched as Orion reached out and hit me across the face.

"You failed me. I let you resume your old position and yet your targets still live."

Kneeling before him, I desperately rambled, "I'm sorry, Unul Exaltat. It will not happen again, you have my word." I hated knowing how I'd disappointed him. I'd sooner die than willingly come back empty-handed.

      "It seems to me that your word means nothing, Reaper." His booted foot lashed out to kick me in the side and I grunted. But I did not move from his feet, for I knew I deserved it. He could kill me for failing him and I'd gladly take it. I would drive my own knife through my heart right now if it was what he wished.

      "I've already dealt with Benton. He also said that those wretched criminals were able to come together and blind you, rendering your abilities useless."

      I looked back up at him. "That is true." It was hard to say, hard to admit they'd warded us off.

     His hand came down to hit me across the face again. I let the blood trickle from my nose, not bothering to wipe it yet because I was unsure if he'd want to hit me again.

"You will be punished for your failure, Delphinium. For letting your old teammates overpower you, you will be blindfolded and placed against my other children. If you win, we will make new plans for you. If not..." My master paused. "The others will not show mercy to you." He addressed the soldiers I'd entered with. "Take her downstairs."

I let the soldiers escort me to one of the large training rooms, a familiar place. This was where I'd been trained by Tsolvskein, my old teacher. It was where I'd become a brilliant weapon in Orion's hand.

Against the wall, standing at attention with straight spines and expressionless faces, were Orion's other children. Twelve in all, not including myself. Long ago, they had been initiates—all of them orphans but Benton and me—that Orion had seen potential in at a very young age, so he'd called them to work under his just and merciful throne. He'd given us a second chance.

I scanned their forms. Four muscular males that towered over me, one scrawny one with a knife-like gaze, two small twin females and three more of larger stature. And Benton Shires. When I'd first come here, I'd been unsure. Many of the other children had been as well. Their level of loyalty to Orion was unknown to me.

      The cold metal mask was placed securely over my face and I was shoved into the center of the ring. I had no weapons, no way to use my power. But I was my own weapon. I needed no other.

       When the soldiers stepped back, they muttered the signal in Romanian and a few of Orion's children lunged for me. Four, by the sounds of their footfalls. I was hit in the head and spine once and twice in the stomach before I was able to gauge their positions and lash out. As hard as I could, I elbowed the largest one in the face, my bone digging into his eye socket. A punch in the face and a sweep of the legs knocked another. One was trying to get their hands around my throat, so I grabbed ahold of their wrists, yanked them forward and felt the satisfying crack of a face against my metal mask.

     More approached. I couldn't tell how many were still conscious. They were all trying to go for me at once, yanking back my braided hair, throwing blows for my abdomen and throat, wanting me to fail. But I would not. I simply ducked and dodged all the incoming blows I could and swung my fists for anything that moved. They connected with faces, arms, stomachs, chests—anything I could get. There was a cruel smile under the mask when a nose broke under my knuckles. It widened as my fist connected with a throat and a girl choked for breath.